9 Investigates taxpayer cost of vintage Orlando police motorcycle

ORLANDO, Fla. — A vintage Orlando police motorcycle that has been off the road for decades costs taxpayers thousands each year.

Channel 9 learned why the city charged so much for a bike that's now sitting in the police museum.

The Orlando police motorcycle sits encased in glass at police headquarters. The 1985 Kawasaki hasn’t been on the road since 1992, but the bike is still costing taxpayers money.

The city of Orlando gave Channel 9 numbers back to 2004. But since then, records show it cost taxpayers about $1,000 annually to insure it in case the building were to burn down or be damaged -- some $11,000 in that time.

According to Cycletrader.com, a similar bike can be purchased for about $4,500. So it costs more to insure it than to buy a new one.

The most confusing part of the billing is an administrative fee. Taxpayers have been charged thousands for the mysterious fee.

The city explains it as a fee to cover the cost fleet management incurs to manage the city's vehicles, but the motorcycle hasn't left the glass case since 1992.

It’s unknown how many people see the motorcycle that taxpayers have spent so much on.

An employee must buzz in visitors to police headquarters to even see the bike.

The city said the Orlando Police Department canceled the insurance in January.

The fees also no longer apply, and the city refunded OPD $450.

Cox Media Group